Colorado Springs Skaters Prepare for National Championships

This is part of my final assignment for class - it is a broadcast version of another story I wrote.

(Shot of skaters practicing in rink) Reporter VO:

Nine teams of skaters from Colorado Springs will be heading for Cleveland this January for the 2009 US Figure Skating Championships. And, it’s one person’s job to prepare them for the competition.

 (Shot of Dalilah coaching) All eighteen skaters train at the World Arena Ice Hall where they are under the watchful eye of coach Dalilah Sappenfield.

 

Interview with Sappenfield in front of rink:

“My job is to push my skaters so that their programs just become routine.  By the time we get to Nationals my kids know what they are doing.  If they don’t then I’m not doing my job.”

 

(Video clip of McLaughlin and Brubaker from 2008 Nationals) Reporter VO:

Evidence suggests that Sappenfield knows exactly how to do her job.  At last year’s US Figure Skating Championships she had the winner in the novice, junior and senior pairs divisions.  Senior pairs champions Keauna (Key aw na) McLaughlin (Mc Law flin) and Rockne (Rock knee) Brubaker (Brew bake er) are among the teams headed to Cleveland with Sappenfield in January.

 

Reporter VO:

Practice shot of skaters as mentioned:

Novice Champions Brynn Carman and Chris Knierim (k neer rim), and Junior Champion Jessica Rose Paetsch (Pay she) and her new partner Drew Meekins are also returning to the championships after winning medals last year. Both teams are now competing at the next level.

Brittany Chase and Andrew Speroff, who placed second at the novice level, have also moved up this year.  Chase says having so many teammate around at nationals takes some of the pressure off.

 

Interview in lobby with Brittany Chase:

“We’re there for each other. We can watch each other and cheer for each other just like practice.”

 

Live shot of reporter in front of World Arena

And keeping things just like practice is exactly what Sappenfield wants to accomplish.  She says she wants her kids to think of nationals as just another day at the rink.

Nine Teams prepare for the US Figure Skating Championships

This post is part of my final project for class - it is a web version of a hard news story I wrote.

Being prepared and having a routine are the keys to success for a Colorado Springs coach and her students.

Nine teams of skaters from Colorado Springs are preparing for the 2009 US Figure Skating Championships to be held January 18^th – 25^th in Cleveland. It’s the job of Dalilah Sappenfield, the 2008 Professional Skater’s Association Coach of the Year, to prepare the pairs for the competition.

Make it Routine

The preparation begins long before many of the teams even qualify for the ational championships. The skaters spend months practicing their programs at the World Arena Ice Hall in Colorado Springs.  Sappenfield said that her job is to push them during practice until their programs are so natural the movements are routine.

“By the time we get to Nationals my kids know what they are doing,” said Sappenfield.  “If they don’t know then I haven’t done my job right.”

A Sign of Success

Based on past results, Sappenfield is doing her job right. Two of the nine teams going to Cleveland are current national champions. Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker will try to defend their championship pairs title.  Brynn Carman and Chris Knierim captured the novice level pairs title last year. They will try to do the same as juniors this year.  Last year’s junior pairs champion Jessica Rose Paetsch will compete at the senior level with her new partner, Drew Meekins.

Britney Chase and Andrew Speroff placed second at novice last year. Chase, 15, said that she is excited to be returning to the national championships.  Last year Chase and her partner had only been skating together for five months.

“We took four pairs tests in two weeks in order to qualify for sectionals just before the deadline last year,” said Chase. “Then a few months later we were at Nationals and we came in second. It all happened so fast.”

Looking To the Future

After such early success, expectations are high for Chase and Speroff who will compete at the junior level in Cleveland. Chase said she knows she that there is a lot of pressure, but she doesn’t have to be nervous if she’s prepared and sticks to the routine. Then, Nationals is just another competition.

 

Students Ski Free in Colorado

Colorado Ski Country USA offers free lift tickets to fifth grade students and discounted tickets to sixth grade students.



Skiing and snowboarding is a common activity for many Colorado residents. Parents are eager to introduce their children to the 26 ski areas in the state but finances keep some families off the mountains. Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) defers part of that cost with the 5th Grade Passport, a program offering fifth graders three free days at each of the 21 participating Colorado ski resorts.



CSCUSA has provided this opportunity since 1996 and more than 130,000 families have participated in the program. Jodi Ayers and her 6th grade daughter Autumn comprise one such family.



Ayers is an avid skier. She has tried to pass her love of the sport on to her daughter for years. But Autumn hasn’t shown much enthusiasm on the slopes in the past. Ayers credits the 5th Grade Passport with making skiing more enjoyable for her daughter.



“I could easily take Autumn and her friends skiing, and having [those friends] made it more fun for her,” Ayers said.



Ayers explained that the passport allowed Autumn to ski with friends instead of just mom. And the friends pushed each other to improve.
Two first-time skiers from last season are ready for more this year according to Ayers. She enjoyed the chance to introduce newcomers to the sport she loves.



“It was great watching the girls who’ve never skied before improve so dramatically,” Ayers said.



She plans to take advantage of CSCUSA’s 6th Grade Graduate Program this season. The 6th Grade Graduate Passport allows students four days at each of the 21 participating ski areas for $99.00.



“I’m even thinking of getting a sixth grade pass for one of Autumn’s friend, if her parent’s don’t,” Ayers commented. “It’s such a good deal and it’s so good for the kids.”



Students can participate in the 6th grade program even if they do not have a 5th grade pass. CSCUSA sends applications for the 5th Grade Passport and the 6th Grade Graduate Passport to Colorado’s public and private schools by the end of September each year. An online application is also available at the program’s web site https://passport.coloradoski.com/.



Students will receive their passports within two to three weeks of applying. CSCUSA said they have a limited number of passes available, but they try to accommodate all applicants.

Comparing Broadcast News Sources

As a class assignment we were asked to compare a local, national and cable news program.  The following is a list of the stories aired during each broadcast, followed by a summary of my view of broadcast news.

9News 5:00 p.m.  Monday, October 27, 2008

17 stories

 

1.  Early Voting – Half a million people have already voted.  Twenty-two percent of registered voters have already voted. Two sources

2.  Campaign Trail – Followed the candidates to Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Covered both sides equally.

3.  Skinhead plot to kill Obama - Federal agents uncover plot to kill 88 black people and possibly assassinate Barack Obama.  Information from Federal agent.

4.  Fatal accident in Loveland – Woman in motorized wheel chair was hit by a vehicle and later died of her injuries. On site interview.

5. Volatility in market – Dow closed down 203.18 points, most of the drop was in the last ten minutes of trading.  Financial bailouts began.  GM and Chevrolet want bailout help.  Unnamed sources.

6.  Oil down – Oil dropped to $61.($$) (said too fast for me to write the exact amount.)

7.  House sales up – the sale of new homes rose 2.7% in September.

8.  Fed set to drop the interest rate.  Will meet tomorrow and expected to drop rate by half a percent.

9.  Jennifer Hudson’s nephew found – Chicago police confirmed the body in an SUV was that of Hudson’s nephew.  Interview in Chicago.

10.  Senator Stevens convicted of corruption – visuals used.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

11.  Haunted High School – Boulder High School theater students set up haunted house to raise money for theater department.  Two students and one teacher interviewed.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

12.  Weather – Warm this week.  Snow in Michigan.  Warm and mild for Halloween.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

13.  Bronco’s Lead AFC West – without playing team has 2-game lead in division.

14.  Football in general – Colts and Titans will play Monday Night Football.  Mike Singletary sends player to the showers during game saying he’s more valuable there than on the field.

15.  Rockies – looking to trade Matt Holliday.  Pitcher Luis Vizcaino arrested in Tampa for a DUI.

16.  Phillies/Ray – Game 5 tonight.  Local pizza shop owner John Keelis will give away pizzas if Rays win World Series.

 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

17.  Texas Beach Ball – Carnival Cruise lines dropped world’s largest beach ball on street in Dallas as a promotion.

 

END OF BROADCAST.

 

 

NBC Nightly News 5:30 p.m.  Monday, October 27, 2008

11 Stories

1.  Eight Day to go – Half of election votes might be in already, polls are favoring Obama, and both candidates are in Pa.  Obama is speaking of hope and unity.  Said to be unveiling his “closing argument” speech. 

2.  McCain is trying to separate himself fro President Bush and Obama, saying we “need a new direction.  Palin separating herself from the clothing issue.  She says it’s her handlers, not her.

3.  Ted Stevens found guilty of corruption for concealed gifts.  The senator is up for re-election and is the longest serving Republican in the Senate.  He is the fourth senator to be convicted while in office.  What happens next will depend on what happens on Election Day.

4. Big Bonuses for Wall Street Executives – many firms are putting aside large sums of money to pay end of year bonuses to executives.  Bloomberg estimates Goldman Sachs execs could receive $210,000.

5.  Dow was up and down – ended losing 200 points in the last 10 minutes of the day.

6.  Gas is averaging $2.67 nationwide – one dollar less than last month.  Also, sale of handguns is up 10 percent.  Often happens during economically unstable times.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

7.  Jennifer Hudson Tragedy – nephew found dead according to a statement by Chicago Police.  Hudson’s mother and brother were found Friday.  Thought it could be a domestic situation involving William Balfour.  Residents of the south side of Chicago say it represents the increase of violence in the area.  There have been more killings than any other large city, even New York and Los Angeles, which are both larger.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

8.  Latino Voters – swing vote.  Could make the difference in key states like Colo., Nev., and N.M.

9.  Cost of treating diabetes – the cost has doubled since 2001.  Is now at $12.5 billion.

10.  Author Tony Hillerman died.  1925 – 2008.  Known for his mystery novels and Navajo stories.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

11.  Arthritis, fighting the pain – Joint replacement is on the rise and costing more as population ages.  Osteoarthritis is costing Medicare $25,000-$50,000.

END OF BROADCAST

 

CNN Newsroom 9 a.m. Saturday, November 1, 2008

13 stories

1.  Final Saturday – candidates on the trail.

2.  Obama’s Aunt in country illegally.  Considered an administration issue.  CNN could not independently confirm.

3.  Obama in Henderson, Nev.  600,000 have voted early, 51 percent democrats.  Nevada has the highest foreclosure rate in the country.

4.  McCain in Virginia and Pennsylvania.  Looking to sway conservative democrats in Virginia who voted for Clinton over Obama.

5.  Early voting from Florida – lines are very long, but limited polling places are open.  Interview with a father and young daughter.  Came today to make sure he could vote.

6.  Gay rights are issue on California ballot.  Same-sex marriage issue is causing heated debate.

7.  Weather – a look at weather at the polls. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK

8.  Immigration – ignored as an issue on campaign, but Mexican troops crossed border near Yuma, Ariz.  They said they became disoriented while on patrol.

9.  Fight for the Hispanic Vote – will raise issue of immigration in Spanish language ads only.  Both candidates are using Spanish language television and radio to address issues they think are important to Hispanic voters, and might not be popular among non-Spanish speakers.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

10.  Minnesota Senate race – Norm Colman vs. Al Franken.  Colman is fighting to keep his seat and help prevent Democrats from reaching 60 seats in the Senate.  The independent candidate could be a factor in the race.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

11.  Congolese refugee camps in need of food and water.  An estimated one million people have been displaced by conflict.

12.  Guns found in the Hudson murder case.  (Just brief mention – barely a story)

13.  Security breach involving new passports.  Most of the passports involved were from the Washington, D.C. area. 

END OF BROADCAST – START REPEAT OF STORIES

 

SUMMARY

This is a very interesting time to compare local, national and cable news programs given the upcoming election.  Nationally the election dominates everything to the point where I wasn’t sure if I was watching a news program or special election report on CNN.  If they hadn’t aired the last three stories, I would have felt completely mislead by the title of the program, CNN Newsroom, due to the lack of news. 

 

We know the presidential election is days away; do we really need to follow every step the candidates take between now and then?  I say no.  There has to be something else worth knowing about.  Especially when you consider how many people have already voted, (half a million in Denver, 600,000 in Henderson, Nev. according to the reports summarized above) it seems unnecessary to spend entire newscasts on the actions of the candidates.

 

I was lucky enough to time it so I watched a local and a national program back to back.  This made for a very fascinating.  The two programs basically covered the same stories, with the local news adding a couple local stories, weather and sports.  The major difference seemed to be that the local coverage tried to cram more into the 30 minutes than the national news program. 

 

NBC Nightly News covered fewer main stories and allowed more time to cover each story.  They also seemed to present more sources for their stories.  The local news seemed to be in such a hurry to get from one story to the next that it rarely sited sources or aired interviews that provided more information.  In the one news story CNN covered early in the broadcast regarding Obama’s aunt, they did admit to not being able to independently confirm information received from the Associated Press.

 

I think that all three sources of broadcast news act a bit like fast food restaurants.  The serve up stories in small, easy to digest packages.  The stories may or may not have sources and substance, but they satisfy our need to be informed.

 

 And just like we would go to a fast food restaurant for an easy snack, we turn to broadcast news because want to get something that will satisfy our immediate needs.  It seems that as consumers we don’t care about substance, just give us something palatable, and give it to us now.  And the news stations are happy to comply. 

 

Broadcast news fits the way most people live.  It provides enough substance to keep people informed, but does not overwhelm.  It’s fast-paced, easy to understand and serves a purpose.

Harvard Implicity Tests

I found the Harvard Implicity Tests stressful. I don't know if it really reflects my feelings or views. I was too busy trying to remember which button to push to think about what the pictures represented. I was thinking right hand or left hand - not race, weight, religion etc.

I think that the tests are an interesting concept, but I'm not sure if they're accurate or just eye-opening. I think that it's very difficult to admit to stereotypes and prejudices in today's society. We want to believe that we have moved beyond this kind of judgment, but I think that it is human nature to classify and categorize. We need to know where we fit into a group, so we try to define the group. I think the problem is when those classifications prevent us from understanding the value of a person that we have a problem.

A New Economic Plan

The following is my attempt at a class assignment to rewrite a print story for broadcast.

Stimulus Package
10/20

(Shot of White House) Reporter VO:
President Bush and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke both announced that they would now be in favor of a new economic stimulus package, an idea they both previously opposed. In a prepared statement before the house budget committee Bernanke expressed his new perspective.

Video of Bernanke Quote:
“With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate.”

(Shot of bank or consumer spending) Reporter VO:
Bernanke also suggested that there might be another cut of the prime interest rate, which is currently at 1.5-percent. The hope is this will help loosen up the credit market, allowing an increase in business and consumer spending.

(Transition to Shot of U.S. Capitol Building) Reporter VO:
House speaker Nancy Pelosi also spoke in favor of an economic plan that she says could be as large as 150-billion dollars.

Video of Pelosi Quote:
“I call upon President Bush and Congressional Republicans to once again heed Chairman Bernanke’s advice and as they did in January, work with the Democrats in congress to enact a targeted, timely and fiscally responsible economic recovery and job creation package.”

(Shot of homes for sale/repossessions) Reporter:
All of the action of policy makers in Washington does not seem to be easing the concerns of most Americans. According to an Associated Press Yahoo News poll of likely voters one-third of Americans are concerned about loosing their jobs. Half of those polled are afraid they won’t be able to continue paying their credit cards and mortgages. And with unemployment rates predicted to reach seven-point-five-percent or higher next year, relief can’t come soon enough for many Americans.
End

Boulder vs. Chicago Crime Rate

This story is a class assignment (#8) comparing Boulder, CO with the city of my birth - Chicago, IL.

Chicago reported 128,000 property related crimes in 2007 – an average of more that one burglary, theft, auto theft or arson for each of the estimated 101,000 residents of Boulder which reported only 2,450 similar crimes.

 

Violent crimes were also more prevalent among the 2.8 million residents of Chicago. The Chicago Police Department Annual Report listed 34,895 violent crimes in 2007, including 442 murders. The City of Boulder reported only one murder during the year for a total of 219 violent crimes.

 

The discrepancy in the numbers could be attributed to the size and composition of the cities.  The city of Chicago is a large urban area covering over 230 square miles. Boulder is a university town covering 25.3 square miles. 

 

The Lincoln Park area of Chicago, which is home to DePaul University’s main campus, is a closer comparison to Boulder. The Lincoln Park area population of 64,000 is comprised of students, families and young professional with an approximate median family income of $85,000, similar to Boulder’s median family income of $89,000. 

 

During 2007 the Lincoln Park area reported 3,961 crimes. Violent crimes account for 296 reports, only one of which was a murder.

Assignment #7 page 117 sentences

The following is an assignment from page 117 of the Rich textbook for my class.

a. She felt bad about missing the school board meeting, but her editor fired her regardless.

b. We will join together in prayer and fly the flags at half-staff for the students who died in the shooting.

c. It is all right if you miss class for a job interview. You can make up the test tomorrow.

d. We will divide the workload among three students.

e. The St. Joseph Board of Commissioners plans to submit a proposal for a bond issue to pay for road improvements. They are hoping the election committee will reach a consensus to put the issue on the ballot.

f. I know you are eager to get this job, but each applicant will have a chance to discuss his or her strengths and weaknesses with the personnel director.

g. Based on your writing skills, it looks like you could be a good journalist.

h. Each of the students will receive a plaque with his or her diploma at graduation.

i. She was embarrassed that she fewer than five answers correct on the quiz.

j. After the boss read the report, he gave it to Jim and me to rewrite. He said it is due back by Monday.

Revision of First Attempt at a News Story

This is the revised version of the first story assignment based on the comments I received in class.  I hope the corrections are an improvement.

A study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that right-handed people are outliving their left-handed counterparts.

 

The study, conducted by Professor Diane Halpern of California State University at San Bernardino and researcher Stanly Coren of the University of British Columbia, focused on determining why there were fewer left-handed people than right-handed people among the older population. 

 

The death certificates of 987 people from two Southern California counties were studied and revealed that right-handed people are outliving left-handed people by an average of nine years.  Right-handed people are living to an average age of 75, while left-handed people are only living to an average age of 66.

 

A possible reason for this discrepancy is that left-handed people are four times more likely to die from auto related injuries and six times more likely to die from an accident in general according to the study.

 

“The results are striking in their magnitude,” Halpern said.

 

But Halpern warns that the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously and not used to predict a person’s lifespan. The study focused on the cause of death for each subject and did not account for the individual’s fitness level. 

 

“It’s important that mothers of left-handed children not be alarmed and not try to change which hand a child uses,” Halpern said.  “There are many, many old left-handed people.”

First Attempt at a News Story

The following  is a class assignment to try writing a news story.  The information for this story was taken from my text book.

A study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that right handed people are outliving their left handed counterparts.

 

The study, conducted by Professor Diane Halpern, of California State University at San Bernardino and researcher Stanly Coren, of the University of British Columbia, focused on determining why there were fewer left-handed people than right-handed people among the older population. 

 

The death certificates of 987 people from two Southern California counties were studied and revealed that right-handed people are outliving left-handed people by an average of nine years.  Right-handed people are living to an average age of 75, while left-handed people are only living to an average age of 66.

 

A possible reason for this discrepancy is that left-handed people are four times more likely to die from auto related injuries and six times more likely to die from an accident in general according to the study.

 

“The results are striking in their magnitude,” Halpern said.

 

But Halpern also warns that the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously and not used to predict a person’s lifespan. The study focused on the cause of death for each subject and did not take account for the individual’s fitness level. 

 

“It’s important that mothers of left-handed children not be alarmed and not try to change which hand a child uses,” Halpern said.  “There are many, many old left-handed people.” 

Average age at Death	Right-Handed	Left-Handed
Male	73 Years	62 Years
Female	78 Years	72 Years

 

 

 

 

Where Do Blogs Fit In?

Anyone with an opinion and a computer can be a blogger. The effect of their opinion depends on who sees that blog.  Take me for example. I am a blogger, unintentional though it may be, due to the requirements of a journalism class and now my opinions are available to anyone able to find my blog.

 

And while the number of people reading this blog may be limited, many blogs have large numbers of very dedicated readers.  Many people consider them as a source of news.  And how can you blame readers when blogs are so easily found in mainstream media?  The Denver Post website has an entire page dedicated to their blogs.  Blogs are a part of the way society communicates.

 

However I don’t think that means that blogs should be allowed to effect mainstream media that they did during the 2004 Presidential election.  When 60 Minutes II reported that President George W. Bush may have been given special treatment during his time in the National Guard, bloggers quickly published posts questioning the authenticity of the documents upon which the whole story was based.  This set off a chain reaction of blogs and traditional news stories, all trying to prove or disprove the credibility of someone else’s story.  It all seemed to become more like gossip than actual news coverage.

 

Blogs serve a purpose.  They offer an outlet for expression to the opinionated, and allow mainstream media to expand on their coverage of a topic.   Blogs are broadening the spectrum of communication, which should be encouraged, but I believe that caution should be used when crossing blogs with traditional news coverage.  Opinions should be heard, just not confused with facts.

 

Blogs are still a new toy in the Internet age.  I think over time we will develop a way to better incorporate blogs into mainstream media and wonder how we ever lived with without them, but for now I am still skeptical of what I read in a blog.

 

 

A Personal Response to a Rather Interesting Situation

Memogate – The 2004 case of mainstream media rushing to broadcast a politically biased story and then being accused of not having all of their facts straight by the non-traditionalist bloggers.  The story accused President George W. Bush of receiving special treatment during his time in the National Guard.  It aired on Sixty Minutes II just months before the 2004 Presidential election.  I ignored the so-called “memogate” scandal four years ago, and I would rather continue to ignore it, but since it is the required topic in my journalism class that is not an option. 

 

As a consumer of the news, I find the whole “memo-gate” event completely irritating.  Politicians making a big deal of the actions or inactions of members of the opposing party, members of the press rushing stories, everyone having an opinion but no one having any real facts - and in the end what does it matter?   My initial reaction to this kind of scandal is to turn off the television and stop reading the paper.  I don’t want to hear it.  Why should I care if George W. Bush received special treatment while a member of the National Guard?  Someone, somewhere is always receiving special treatment.  As a figure skating coach, I see it all the time in an effort increase the number of boys competing at the elite level in the sport.  We need more male figure skaters to help improve our sport, so rules are stretched and exceptions are made to keep the few boys that we do have skating. Most of them (and most of their parents) know this, and know how to take advantage of their power. 

 

Politics, in my view, is the same way.  The rules don’t always apply the same way to politicians as they do to the rest of us.  People in powerful positions are there for a reason –they know how to work the system. There is a certain amount of arrogance and self-importance necessary to be a politician.  Those are not traits that tend to win you the “nicest person” or “most thoughtful” titles in the high school yearbook, but they may win you the White House.  As a voter, I believe that there are skeletons in my candidate’s closet.  I think it would be naive to believe otherwise.  No one is perfect, least of all someone looking for the power of the Presidency.  But I’m still left with the simple question of why should I care about the possibly forged documents provided to CBS?   And I’m left with the idea that as a voter I don’t care, but as a student of the media I am intrigued.

 

Personal and political preferences aside, this is an amazingly interesting case study for a graduate class.  The idea that bloggers could tarnish the image a news icon like Dan Rather, and that CBS would rush a story with out verifying facts, and that in the end the story about the story became the story, is all pretty amazing.  I find myself wondering how we got to this point.  When did the storyteller become the subject of the story? Reporters should be observers, not active participants in the story.   A story should not become bigger because journalists didn’t do their jobs right.  Government needs journalists to act as bridge between the people and the politicians, and journalists need politicians to help create the news.  I think scandals like this one just give both parties a black eye, and cause them to loose the trust of the people.   

Now I can't ignore this irritating case any longer.  I must learn from it that no journalist and no evidence is above the scrutiny of the public.  As I continue my education I will remember that not verifying facts can be deadly to a journalist, and there's always someone out there ready to catch your mistake.

 

Family Issues Beat

Family Issues Beat Issues
Subjects to be covered by this beat

1. Youth Sports
   
2. Private Schools vs. Public Schools
   
3. Divorce
4. Health Issues
   

Story ideas for Youth Sports -

1. Has participation in youth sports increased or decreased in recent years?
2. What effect does youth sports play on the obesity rate of children?
3. Are children over programed? Are too many activities, making it impossible for kids to just be kids?
   
4. Models of good sportsmanship - who's responsibility is it, coach or parent?
5. What makes a Michael Phelps (or other Olympic Athlete)?

Private Schools vs. Public Schools -

1. Why choose a private school?
2. What effect do the number of private schools in the area have on local public schools?
3. How do you start a good charter school?
4. The family tradition of attending a school - are some children "legacy students" in elementary school?
5. Why do most local K-12 schools start in mid-August?

Divorce

1. What is the current divorce rate? Has it increased or decreased?
2. Is there a stigma for children of divorce, or has it become part of the norm?
3. Are some couples more friendly after a divorce?
4. What are some unique ways to spend holidays or special occasions when both parents want to be with the kids?
5. How does a divorce effect a child's life at school? What new legal responsibilities does a school take on during a divorce?

Health

1. Are flu shots a good idea?
2. Who stays home from work today? How do families balance work and a sick child?
3. Should immunizations be required for school attendance? Are the current requirements all still necessary?
4. What is the effect of allergies or asthma on school attendance?
5. When is it time to go to the emergency room? Do parents go too often or not enough?
   

Research Question Answers

For most of my questions, my information comes from the Ralphie page of the official website of CU Athletics – cubuffs.com  Additional dates, as noted, were found on Wikipedia.

I am pretty comfortable using this as a starting point for research, but some follow-up is definitely needed for more thorough and detailed information.  The site does seem to provide factual information regarding the history and biography of the mascots, but it is also a promotional website for the sports teams of the university.  There is a donations page where you can help to support Ralphie or choose from  a variety of available CU Buffs merchandise.

1. How much does caring for Ralphie cost each year?

It costs $30,000 a year to care for Ralphie according to a September 2, 2008 article on the CU Buffs site. I also found  a USA Today article from 2007 during a Google search stating that it costs about $20,000 a year to care for the mascot. Further research is required before this information could be used in a story. My next step would be to try to reach someone in the athletic department for more accurate information.


2.&
3.What has happened to each of the former Ralphies? How many Ralphies has CU had, and what was the tenure of each?

According to the CU Buffs site there have been 5 bison named Ralphie – all female.

Ralphie I ran from 1966-end of 1978 season. October 28,1967 was the first run to lead in the team as is the current tradition.  She retired at the end of the end of the 1978 season.

Ralphie II’s first run was November 18, 1978. She ran until her sudden death after a game against Stanford on September 19, 1987. These dates are according to Wikipedia.

 

Ralphie III ran from November 7, 1987 through 1997.  She passed away in early 1998.  The State Senate passed State Resolution 98-10 in her honor according to Wikipedia. 

 

Ralphie IV first run was September 5, 1998 at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO.  She was expected to retire at the end of last season, but will instead share the running duties with Ralphie V for a while.

 

Ralphie V has not made an official game run yet, but made her first practice run during spring game on April 19, 2008 (date provided by Wikipedia).

4. Where did the current Ralphie come from?

 

The current Ralphies were both donated from a Ted Turner ranch.  Ralphie IV was born in April 1997 at Flying D Ranch Gallatin Gateway, MT and named Rowdy.  Ralphie V was born in October 2006 in Northern New Mexico at Vermejo Park Ranch and named Blackout by the CU Ralphie handlers.

5. What other universities have large live animals as mascots? (Rank the top 5).

 

To answer this question started by using a list on the website Americas Best Online that I found through a Google search. I tried to gain more information from the school’s websites or their athletic websites.  Wikipedia filled in when more information was needed and to help determine the size of the animals.

 

1. Baylor – Joy and Lady the bears.

2. LSU – Mike the Tiger.

3. University of Texas –Bevo the longhorn steer.

4. USC - Traveler the white horse.

5.Army – Mule.

 

Story Ideas

“The University of Colorado has a live buffalo mascot named Ralphie.”

 

1.  Is Ralphie a luxury?  Does the cost of having a live mascot appear in seven or eight home football games each fall offset the expense of his year-round care? What role do donations play in his upkeep?

 

2.  Who are Ralphie’s handlers?  Where do they come from and who can be one?

3.  Ralphie is part of a species that was on the brink of extinction.  What is the current status of buffalo in America?   

 

4.  What other colleges or universities have live animal mascots at their football games?  What role do these animals play in school spirit?  Do they play a role in recruiting fans with no affiliation to the school?

 

5.  A day in the life of Ralphie.  What is game day like for this football mascot?

What is a special interest group?

            To determine whether or not American media corporations are special interest groups, we must define a group and agree that our political system is made up of these groups. From my perspective special interest groups are merely a collection of people with similar needs and desires who decide to work together for a mutual goal. Wikipedia defines interest groups as, “an organized collection of people who seek to influence political decisions.” I believe that Nicholas Lemann got it right in his article “Conflict of Interests” in the August 11, 2008 edition of The New Yorker in regards to Arthur Bentley’s “The Process of Government.”  Lemann says, “All politics and all government are the result of the activities of groups.”   So, my conclusion is that government and the agencies it interacts with are is just one large collection of special interest groups - and that’s a good thing.

Politicians should be advocates for their voters’ needs and interests. Those are the special interests of those specific voters in that specific region.  In my idealized vision the politicians representing one localized group meets with other appointed representatives of other groups with similar interests and creates a special interest group that is working for the people.  A fantasy …maybe, but, a necessary fantasy in order to agree with Bentley’s concept of politics being a result of groups interacting with each other.

  But politicians aren’t just interacting with each other, there are outside influences. Influences that look a lot more like the traditional special interest groups we have come consider evil, like “big oil” companies or the tobacco industry.   Evil or not these groups are a part of the political picture, just like the media corporations. Which means that the American media corporations are political special interest groups.

           The media is the politician’s connection to the American people. Newspapers, television, radio and the Internet allow the actions of the government to be reported to the people.  However, this is not act performed out of the goodness of the corporation’s capitalist heart.  Media corporations must keep in mind their main interest and goal – to create a sellable product – while reporting on politics.  Media needs to make the actions of the politicians an interesting story.  The consumer has to want to buy the product that story.   If the story “doesn’t sell” then the corporation isn’t making money, and if the corporation isn’t making money it won’t stay in business very long. But if we were to lose these media corporations, then we would loose our connection to government. The interaction between the media corporations and the political special interest groups is what ties the whole process together.  Each is dependent on the actions of the other group, while continually focusing on their own interests, which is why I believe that American media corporations must be special interest groups.

Response to Walter Lippmann's Quote

Walter Lippmann’s theory that the newspaper office is “one of the truly sacred and priestly offices in a democracy” depends heavily on the idea that consumers trust the newspapers. To view something as sacred or priestly is to hold it above reproach. And while in Lippmann’s day anything printed in a newspaper might have gone unquestioned, today’s readers are a little more cynical and therefore unlikely to see the newspapers as sacred or priestly.

My 91 year-old grandfather puts great trust in The Wall Street Journal. He always says that whatever is printed on the front page of The Wall Street Journal this morning will be everyone else’s top story tomorrow. He believes in his paper, and has never had reason to doubt the truth of their stories. He has also read this paper nearly every day for most of his adult life, which helped to build a trust and a faith in its truth. It is this faith that I believe is necessary to have a “sacred and priestly” press. It is this faith that I think is missing in most people’s relationship with today’s press.

Today’s readers face an over abundance of newspapers, network news reports, talk radio shows, 24-hour cable news channels and constant Internet news sources. With so many options how do you even begin to know which to trust? With news outlets vying for consumers to increase revenues, news stories can become more and more sensational. With the news becoming more sensationalized, consumers become more calloused. This hardened shell does not bide well for developing trust or faith.

While I don’t think that we’ll return to Lippmann’s idealistic view of the newsroom, I do think that the newsroom is an important part of democracy. It is up to each member of the newsroom to have a personal integrity in their reporting to help regain the consumer’s trust.